The More You Know
by Readwitch
Summary: Another fic that takes place during the Elle/Sylar/HRG/Claire power loss confrontation. Claire does something a little smarter than jumping in front of the gun....


This is just a little oneshot that I would call femslash, but if you don't like that can be seen differently. I think I'm vague enough in the wording. So this is my first story where I go along with the power loss, although I have quite a bit about this particular scene, probably because I hated what Kring did with the original one. Turning Elle into a plot device, for shame. I am writing as much as I can to keep the Elle fiction rolling now that she's off the show and I urge others to do the same…otherwise we'll lose her entirely.

Summary: When Elle prepares to take the shot that could change things for good, she never expected it could end like this.

The More You Know

Elle gripped the gun tightly, eyes set on getting rid of Bennet once and for at least right now. It may not have been the objective, but it really is a nice little bonus. Elle is entirely focused on making sure her aim is true, after all she never needed a gun before and that makes her nervous, so she doesn't notice the cheerleader prepares to leap in front of the gun. She also doesn't notice the cheerleader rethink this decision. She does, however, notice when the cheerleader tackles her to the ground.

The next thing Elle knows is that there is a very warm body pressing against her and she's still holding the gun. Panic grips her for a second, she really doesn't like being held down, and she starts to struggle against the younger girl.

"Get off of me," Elle screams, bucking and pushing with all her force, but all that it achieves is Claire holding her down more tightly.

"Why," Claire snarls, "so you can put a bullet in my Dad. Once is enough." Elle continues struggling and is able to get the gun pointed in Claire's direction, though it wasn't hard with how close Claire is.

"I'll put a bullet in you if you don't get off of me right now," and she hasn't felt this smothered in awhile. All she can see is blonde hair and bright blue eyes. She can't take the betrayal and anger in the eyes, though, so she focuses on the hair.

"Go ahead, then. Shoot me," Claire dares, a slight hint of mocking in her voice.

"I will and you won't heal from it this time," Elle threatens, managing to poke at Claire with the tip of the gun.

"I know. Nobody's stopping you. Go ahead."

"I'm going to."

"I'm waiting…"

"I will…I just need…"

"If you're going to shoot me then do it," and this time Elle can't avoid the blue eyes pinning her down. She doesn't realize that she's stopped struggling or that her own eyes are little bit watery.

"I am, I am, I am," Elle practically screams, not sure why she hasn't squeezed the trigger, but really wishing Claire would stop telling her to do it.

"Then why won't you?" Claire growls at her and Elle can't stop herself.

"Because I don't want to shoot you. I don't, I just want…" and she doesn't know what to say, doesn't know what she wants. But Claire can't just let this go, let her go. She still right in her face, nose to nose, and Elle really wishes she was on top and in control of this weird little conversation.

"Want what Elle, to kill my Dad, to kidnap me, to hand me over to madman. How could shooting me possibly be worse," and Elle is amazed by how passionate Claire is when she's upset. Elle wants to turn away, avoid explaining herself, because it so much easier to take what she wants and she really misses her powers right now. She doesn't even realize that Claire isn't forcing her down anymore; that Claire's basically just lying on top of her and only using her arms to keep herself propped up.

"What's so bad about going back to Pinehearst with me," and she knows she's practically pleading but, "you were all ready to go before. Before I got here my powers were completely fixed, just like we wanted. Whenever this… this flux or malfunction is over, they could do the same for you. And Mr. Petrelli isn't a madman, at least no more than his wife. All he wants to do is make more people special," and Elle is mostly, slightly positive this is the truth. Despite what she told Claire on the plane, she misses having a purpose and orders and someone to make proud. She doesn't know what she was trying to prove earlier, with Gabriel and the clerk, but she's pretty sure it involved wiping out the notion of a pretty girl with pies from his head. She wants someone to look at her, all of her, and accept it and tell her she's doing a good job. Claire made her feel that way for a moment, and Elle is pretty sure that's why she can't shoot the girl who is scowling down at her in disbelief.

"Do you really think that he's not a bad guy, Elle? How do you think Peter ended up thrown from the window? Do you think that's what good guys do?" and it's not a fair question because Elle doesn't know what good guys do. She's pretty sure Peter was the closest she came to a good guy and he manipulated and used her. She doesn't like Peter anymore and she wished Claire didn't either.

"I don't know, Claire, but it must be really hard not to. If I had to spend time alone in a room with _pretty, perfect __**Peter**_, I'd either toss him or jump out to get away," and Claire's face does not give away that she recently spent time alone with Peter and ended up jumping out of the window. It also doesn't give any sympathy to the outright crying girl below her.

"Do you think that's the issue here? Tell me right now, Elle, what could possibly convince you that it's a good idea to team up with your father's murderer to bring me back to his lair? I know I wouldn't enjoy that and I'm pretty sure in that messed up head of yours that you must know that too," and she's not screaming anymore. She says it quietly, still staring, and Elle knows that she's failed again. She doesn't know at what or how, but the sheer amount of disappointment in Claire's voice makes her want run, cry, scream. It makes her want to hurt the cheerleader because anger is so much better than disappointment. Anger fades, disappointment just builds. Elle swallows, trying to get rid of the lump in her throat and starts talking, saying anything and everything to get Claire to stop looking at her like _that._

"I just…wanted you to come too. You get your powers fixed and mine would be golden and we could hang out and stuff and be on the same side this time. We could be..fr- just good together. And we could go on missions and you and Gabriel could learn to like each other if you forgive him like I did. Because he helped me out and even after I showed him that I can't change, can't…can't not be me, he still came. And I think he could get along with you, I mean you gave him his most useful power, which is what brought him and me together anyway. We could all be…I don't know, I've never…I can't not be a company girl. I never wanted it, but it was chosen for me anyway. It's all I know and you wanted to be one anyway. I know I'm screwed up, but I thought we could be screwed up together," and she can't look at Claire anymore, can't stand the emotions in her eyes, so she closes her own. It's dark and she can imagine try to imagine that she's somewhere, _anywhere_, else, but Claire's warm body is still on top of her.

Suddenly Claire's shuffling a little and Elle thinks for a second she's getting off, and it hurts. When she wanted that, before she spilled, _spoiled,_ everything, the cheerleader only pushed harder, but if she leaves now…that means she's given up. On Elle. So Elle goes completely still, wishing, wanting _something._ But Claire's not getting off. She moves closer, letting her forehead touch Elle's and even Elle can recognize the comfort in the motion. For the first time that day, she can appreciate the feeling of Claire's body against hers and it isn't stifling or alarming. She relaxes just a little at the sound of Claire's voice, because it's not hatred or disdain or disappointment she hears…

"Oh,_ Elle…"_


End file.
